Coaches Wrap: Passing the Puck

I coach a mite team and we have a few players who just won’t pass the puck no matter how much I emphasize this before and after games. I’m frustrated and don’t know what else to do.
--Mike S., Mite Coach

Don’t sweat it! Not passing the puck at the mite level is not really such a bad thing, depending on the reason for it. Sometimes they just don’t want to give up the puck. Sometimes they know if they pass it to a teammate, they won’t get it back. Sometimes their parents tell them not to pass. Sometimes, they just have never been coached why and when to pass. Actually, it is good for kids to be aggressive and want the puck and want to carry it. It is difficult for them to skate, control the puck, keep it away from players on the other team and be able to see the ice to make a pass. It might look easy and potential passes might seem obvious from the bench or the stands, but it is much tougher than that on the ice. Forcing them to pass might create a worse situation than not passing at all, because then they might pass the puck at a time when you think that you what them to, not when it is necessarily the right play. Teaching them (allowing them to learn) how, why and when to pass takes plenty of time. Be sure to teach them the fundamental skills of stationary passing and receiving, and then progress to moving and spend plenty of time practicing these skills each practice. Then gradually introduce the concepts of “give and go” and “getting open” without the puck to receive a pass. Then create some small area games (i.e. team keep-away) where they have to make one or two passes before they can take a shot on goal, and then progress from there. In games, point out situations where it might have been a better play to pass the puck rather than carry it. Ultimately, they need to be able to make the right decisions with the puck in the heat of action.